I recently finished reading Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

I chose this as my Book of the Month June selection.

I have never read any books by this author (although Daisy Jones and the Six has been in my Kindle library for ever….I think I’ve been hesitant to start it due to all the hype about it.)

Synopsis:

Malibu: August, 1983. It’s the day of Nina Riva’s annual end-of-summer party, and anticipation is at a fever pitch. Everyone wants to be around the famous Rivas: Nina, the talented surfer and supermodel; brothers Jay and Hud, one a championship surfer, the other a renowned photographer; and their adored baby sister, Kit. Together, the siblings are a source of fascination in Malibu and the world over—especially as the offspring of the legendary singer, Mick Riva.

The only person not looking forward to the party of the year is Nina herself, who never wanted to be the center of attention, and who has also just been very publicly abandoned by her pro tennis player husband. Oh, and maybe Hud—because it is long past time to confess something to the brother from whom he’s been inseparable since birth.

Jay, on the other hand, is counting the minutes until nightfall, when the girl he can’t stop thinking about promised she’ll be there.

And Kit has a couple secrets of her own—including a guest she invited without consulting anyone.

By midnight the party will be completely out of control. By morning, the Riva mansion will have gone up in flames. But before that first spark in the early hours before dawn, the alcohol will flow, the music will play, and the loves and secrets that shaped this family’s generations will all come bubbling to the surface.

Malibu Rising is a story about one unforgettable night in the life of a family: the night they each have to choose what they will keep from the people who made them . . . and what they will leave behind. ~GoodReads

I gave this 3/5 stars. I enjoyed it and found it it a fast read.

For me, I was a little confused by the introduction of new characters 3/4ths through the book (aka the 10 pm hour) I don’t feel they added anything to the story and honestly thought why waste words on them when we could be hearing more about Kit’s revelation?

I do feel there is sequel potential and if there is one, I’ll read it!

Trigger warnings: alcoholism, death, abandonment.

Currently Reading:

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of Yoga Pant Nation by Laurie Gelman (Thank you Henry Holt & Co. Publishing!).

Synopsis:

Jen Dixon of Overland Park, Kansas—fearless mother of a fifth-grade boy and two thirty-something daughters—is used to juggling a lot, from her mission to become a spin instructor, to stepping in as the most acerbic class mom ever (again), to taking care of her two-year-old granddaughter. But when the PTA president throws her a mandate to raise $10,000 for the fifth-grade class, even unflappable Jen is going to need more than her regular spin class to get her through this final year at William Taft Elementary School. In the midst of new complications—organizing the class overnight to Topeka, an unexpected spin class fan in the form of her husband’s crazy ex-wife, and trying to navigate her parents’ sudden descent into apparent delusions—Jen hardly has the patience to listen to yet another half-baked idea (come on, ladies, another wrapping paper sale?) from WeFUKCT (We Fundraise Until Kingdom Come Team), her fundraising committee. But if anyone can get elementary parents to pull off the impossible, it’s Jen Dixon. ~GoodReads

I read Class Mom and listened to You’ve Been Volunteered (read by the author) and LOVED both! For me, these books are laugh out loud, don’t want them to end books. There is a scene with Jen and her trainer Garth that still makes me laugh out loud when I think of it!

One of the reasons I think I love these books is that I am an older mom (like Jen and her son Max) and I am in such a different stage of life than the other moms at our elementary school…I’m thinking about retirement and most others are thinking of their 30th/35th birthday and how life will be over (spoiler, your 30’s are awesome!).

The things that Jen says and does are so relatable to me! I am 50 pages in and have thoroughly enjoyed it so far…I’m sure this will be a 5 star read for me.

Today is the first Thursday of the month so that means...Indie Press List from my favorite podcast hosts Meredith and Kaytee from Currently Reading. As this is a benefit of being a Patreon supporter of the podcast I won’t list the titles, but of the five: One I already own! One is going to be my Audible pick of the month (I rejoined using a Prime Day deal). Three I have put holds on from my library.

Solid choices this month and I am excited to add them all to my TBR.

(Indie Press list is a curated list of books from a Indie Bookstore that Meredith and Kaytee have worked with the book buyers. The hope is that people will purchase from the bookstore or use Libro.fm to support the bookstore. Since I have 2 books covered already and plan on using the library for the other three this month I am giving a shout out to this months book store Fabled in Tx. I will be tagging them on social media when I post about the books. To access the Indie Press List you must be a patron via Patreon. I highly recommend the podcast and will say there is great extra content via Patreon. If I end up earning some extra money with my call shifts this month, I’ll be ordering at least one…maybe two…ok three books from Fabled!)

Last but not least, my July Book of the Month arrived!

I chose:

Sisters in Arms by Kaia Alderson

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala

If you have any interest in Book of the Month please click here!

Happy Reading!